Big names don’t buy social media influence

How close you are to the people you connect with on social media matters far more than how many people you know when it comes to influencing opinions, Crowdtap says. Source: Mashable

Forget Klout scores, real influence in social media comes from close-knit groups of family and friends, a new study suggests.

Influence marketing outfit Crowdtap reckons businesses are better off trying to tap into legion small networks of friends than angling to piggyback on so-called “uber influencers” when it comes to hawking their wares on Facebook, Twitter or other social sites.

The key, Crowdtap says, is something marketers have long known – word-of-mouth is the most powerful way to spread a message.

“As the true power of influencing purchasing decisions comes from a person’s close family, friends and peers, a focus on peer influence presents the most viable opportunity for marketers,” according to the study.

“It can be tempting to go after Social Broadcasters [people with very large social networks] due to their great number of followers or high Klout scores but as real influence is truly tied to close networks, these broadcasters are limited in number and attention.”

Crowdtap lists five key points for people hoping to tap into influence marketing on social media:

• Identify the source of influence: This may be closely knit groups for day-to-day household purchases or a mix of closely knit groups and subject matter experts for more pricey purchases such as cars.
• Start with the brand, not with the influencer: “For influence to be authentic, it should start with your own loyal and satisfied customers or those you can likely convert, not just someone with a high score or a lot of followers.”
• Don’t be too selective at the start: “The best way to identify great peer influencers is to let them opt in a prove, through their actual participation, that they want to stay deeply involved with the brand.”
• Let influencers actually influence your brand: “Being involved in the decision-making process and being privy to exclusive information gives your influencers social capital, which they can and will use to promote your brand.”
• Advocacy is ongoing, not a campaign: “Think long-term, build an influencer marketing channel that is an ongoing asset to your brand. Leverage it for research, ideas, testing, promotion.”

Via Mashable, Crowdtap also provides a graphic that illustrates just how powerful peer influence is in social media.

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